Virat Kohli’s relatively quiet series with bat in hand did not spare him from media attention during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as Kohli was constantly in the spotlight for stirring up controversy, especially among the Australian media, during the five-match series.
This persisted until the very last day of the series, when Kohli upset some people by ostentatiously and dramatically checking his pockets in reference to the 2018 sandpaper gate incident (The 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal, also known as Sandpapergate, was a cricket cheating scandal surrounding the Australian national cricket team).
Kohli’s actions, including bumping Sam Konstas during the teenager’s debut, which dominated Australian television, annoyed some former Australian players.
In Frame: Virat Kohli
Aaron Finch, Kohli’s RCB teammate and former Australian white ball captain, shared his thoughts on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show after the series.
“It was just a level of frustration. I said last week it seemed as though he wanted to find conflict and confrontation – that’s where he generally plays his best cricket,” explained Finch. “So he just went overboard on this tour.”
Finch tried to explain Kohli’s behavior as a means to find some form. “The bump, that was above and beyond anything I’ve seen on a field, and then the sandpaper, unnecessary,” he continued. “But overall, I think he was trying to find something to ignite a fire in himself, but just wasn’t up to it.”
Former Australian batter Simon Katich also had some thoughts regarding Kohli’s actions, adding on to Finch by saying “I think you have to question what sort of headspace he’s been in on this tour to be doing that, making physical contact in Melbourne and then even the other unsavory incident in Sydney with the sandpaper reference there with the pockets.”
Katich, who was part of RCB’s coaching staff between 2019-21, questioned why Kohli brought it up on the end of a long tour, nearly seven years on from when the incident first occurred, and stated that Kohli had harmed his own image. “I mean that in itself – there was no need for that. It’s old news so in a way I think he’s tarnished his reputation somewhat on this tour, on and off the field.”
As India prepares for the ICC Champions Trophy, Kohli, who only scored 190 runs in this series, will be looking to regain his best form in his preferred 50-over cricket format.
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